Within the Palace of Darkness in Yomihara, Ingrid walked out of one of its rooms. Wearing her usual battle outfit, she was prepared to depart for Tokyo. According to Fürst, the man Edward Black was interested in would be conducting a mission in Edogawa City tomorrow to contact a mage group operating there.
She had to act quickly before he reached them. This group was among the most troublesome and dangerous NOMAD had ever faced. They had tried everything to exterminate them, but the mages had turned the city into a guerrilla warfare zone. Any attempt to attack them in their territory made even the most elite soldiers afraid and paranoid.
As she continue walking, her path was blocked by a man in a lab coat and glasses, his brown hair tied in a ponytail. He was tall, with a build that hinted at muscle concealed beneath his clothing. He had the youthful look of a man in his prime, yet was far older than he seemed. She recognized him: Miyatake Zhiyong, a weapons division scientist renowned for crafting technologies of immense destruction.
She did not like him. She could never tell what he was thinking behind that constant stoic look, and he always did the bare minimum at work. What baffled her most was how this scientist, with no celebrated achievements to his name, had somehow gained favour with her master, Edward Black. Black himself claimed the man had accomplished plenty but preferred to keep it hidden.
"Why are you dressed for battle so late?" he asked, his gruff voice and serious demeanour clashing with the casual invitation. "Let's go for a drink."
Ingrid shot him a look of pure contempt, a glare meant to intimidate. It had no effect as he maintained his neutral expression. "I have a mission in Tokyo," she stated. "I must depart tonight."
"Oh, is this about the man who caused trouble the other night? The one Edward is interested in?" Zhiyong asked, his tone infuriatingly casual. "You don't have to go. I convinced Edward it wasn't worth the effort."
Ingrid hated how he used her master's given name so freely. But his final words cut deeper. "What?" What could he possibly have done or said to change Edward Black's mind?
"Well, simply put, I told him that the man won’t join NOMAD. Once, he swore loyalty to the organization, so he won’t change his mind that easily. Especially as the Taimanin would implant ideas that NOMAD is evil."
"And how do you know this?" Ingrid demanded.
Zhiyong's expression remained impenetrable. "Because he is my son."
The revelation hit Ingrid like a physical shock. ‘He has a son?’ "You... have a son?" she managed to ask, her voice tight.
"Naturally," he replied, a hint of mock vanity in his tone. "Who could resist these looks?" The joke only deepened her irritation. "Of course, given time, he might lose his faith in the Taimanin. My son once joined an anti-government group, so I requested Fürst to keep a close eye on him."
The Hell Knight sighed. He had taken control of the mission again. Deciding to take him down a peg, she shifted tactics. "Zhiyong, I've noticed you've been spending less time with Felicia. As her guardian and tutor, you're neglecting your duties."
“Oh, don’t worry. I found someone to watch over her.”
“And who is that?”
“My nephew.”
‘Another family member appeared,’ Ingrid thought. Of course.“Should I expect any more surprises from your family tree?”
Zhiyong gave a casual shrug. “There’s my father, and I do have another nephew back in China. Both work in a newly established department there.”
A newly established department? Did he mean the China National Supernatural Defence Bureau? They were already highly positioned in the country. She decided to walk away. The more she talked to him, the more her head ached.
"Good grief," Zhiyong sighed, his tone weary. Despite Ingrid's obvious dislike, it didn't deter him. "Come on, let's have a drink. It'll help relieve whatever's on your mind." He grabbed her shoulder. "My treat."
Ingrid relented. If he was paying, she was going to drink as much of the most expensive stuff as she could.
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The bar was classic and comfortable, a stark contrast to Yomihara's common dirty bars and blaring hostess clubs. Here, she could finally relax. The host was an experienced old man who was known to give performances when preparing the drinks.
He brought Ingrid and Zhiyong their glasses of liquor. Ingrid quickly chugged hers down.
“You know, most people drink slowly to savour the taste,” Zhiyong observed.
“Shut up! I’ll drink however I want.” She slammed her glass down. “Another one!”
“Miss, I must ask you to mind your behaviour,” the host advised, his tone firm.
"It was just an observation, not an insult," Zhiyong said calmly, raising his hands in a placating gesture despite her outburst. He took a slow sip of his own drink. "Please forgive her, Master. It's been a long week."
The apology slid past Ingrid like water. Her thoughts were already spiralling, the alcohol loosening years of tightly wound resentment.
"Why doesn't he see me?" she muttered, her voice cracking. "What's wrong with me? That bitch Shinganji did nothing and they already have children. Now he's after Asagi too?" She laughed, bitter and hollow. "Decades I've given him. Decades. And it means nothing."
Ingrid, for some reason, believed Edward had fallen in love with Kaede. When nothing could be further from the truth. He treated her more like a breeder. As for Asagi, Zhiyong didn't know the reason, but it was probably similar to Kaede. Edward probably wanted to breed more powerful children.
"Well, maybe it's her kind and calm presence," Zhiyong offered. "She is quite charming compared to the hedonists and sadists among NOMAD's high-ranking women. Excluding you, of course.”
It didn't matter whether Ingrid knew the truth or not. Despite her honourable nature as a knight, she was too madly in love with him. Willing to compromise even her own morals.
"Tch. I've been trying for decades to win his affection, and yet it only took her a short amount of time."
"There's a saying about love at first sight."
"Ugh…" She laid her head down on the bar. "Hey… have you ever been in love?"
"I am married or, rather, I'm a widower now. Do you want advice on making Edward fall for you or something?"
"No… I just want to know what love feels like."
The question caught him off guard. It was the kind of thing novices asked, not someone like Ingrid.
"It's a wonderful feeling," he began, his voice softer than usual. "Like you're the most special person in the world. Like everything else is meaningless, and it's only you and your lover." He gave a little chuckle. "Of course, that intense feeling fades with time. But love itself? That stays with you and your partner. Always."
"I envy you, Zhiyong." She took another drink, letting the silence hang between them. Then, turning to face him directly: "Tell me something. What is it about you that Black favours? Fourteen years you've been here, and he trusts you with everything. Felicia's guardianship, weapons R&D, even letting you participate in some important missions despite lacking in combat. Why you?"
“Hmm…” Zhiyong took his time to think. “Take the first part, about Felicia. You were there when she was reprimanded for murdering Shinganji Kaede. You remember how I handled that situation.”
Ingrid was there. When the news came that Felicia had murdered Shinganji Kaede, Edward Black showed neither anger nor grief. His reaction to the death of his child and his lover was a profound, unsettling silence. But when they arrived in the room where Felicia was being held, Zhiyong was already there, holding the three-year-old girl tightly in his arms as she cried.
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“Black-sama, forgive my intrusion, but I must speak.” Zhiyong’s voice was calm and professional, a stark contrast to the risk he was taking. “Entrust this child to me.”
Edward’s gaze was ice. “Justify your request.”
“The girl is unstable. Her moods swing from euphoria to despair without cause or warning. The root of this disturbance is not in her nature, but in her nurture. This is a failure of parenting.”
“How dare you!” Ingrid’s sword hissed from its sheath.
Edward raised a hand, halting her without a glance. “Elaborate.”
"I have a history of raising apprentices. One serves as my assistant; another stands among your finest warriors. You may verify this with any of them."
"Unnecessary," Edward conceded, his tone flat. "Their service to NOMAD speaks for itself and Felicia seems to have grown attached to you. You've even taught her some abilities. Very well. You are now her guardian."
“Thank you, Black-sama.” Zhiyong’s posture softened imperceptibly. He looked down and gently guided the little girl forward. “Before you go, Felicia has something to say.”
The child emerged from Zhiyong’s embrace. Her eyes, wide with tears, found her father’s. “F-forgive me, Father… I-I’ll be good… please don’t hate me.” With a choked sob, she rushed forward and clung to Edward’s leg.
After that, Zhiyong became Felicia's official caretaker and would occasionally work with Black to oversee her training. Despite this, Felicia remained a brat who caused trouble, though she acted obediently around Black and Zhiyong.
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About an hour had passed, and she’d drunk… ten shots? Twenty? She’d lost count. How could she have forgotten that moment, the day Felicia would grow attached to Zhiyong, the day he showed he wasn’t afraid to push back against Edward for the greater good. Maybe that was why…
"I work hard on some weapons, like Oboro's claw blades and your sword. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to work on those? Especially instilling magical runes into simple objects like blades. That alone proves I'm worthy of being part of the weapons research division."
"T-that still d-doesn't excuse being lazy! Hic!" Ingrid, now completely drunk, pressed on. "I know you could do more. It's like you're hiding something."
Zhiyong looked at her deadpan, his tone laced with lazy cynicism. “Ingrid, understand this about working for any company, if you're too diligent and contribute too much, you become the easiest to exploit. They'll pile on work without fair compensation. The optimal strategy is to be average, not so exceptional that they milk your dedication dry, and not so incompetent that they replace you.”
“So… you could do more, right?” she said, her voice low with exhaustion yet strangely caring. “If you wanted to… I’m sure Edward would reward you properly. I could even help you…” Her words faded as she finally passed out.
Zhiyong wouldn’t deny it. He would be rewarded handsomely if he fully applied his genius to creating magnificent weapons. But his restraint wasn’t due to a lack of passion, his love for science and magic was genuine. The problem was simpler, he had never been loyal to NOMAD.
He pulled out his wallet, paid the tab, and thanked the host. “Thank you for your service.” Then, giving the unconscious Ingrid a piggyback ride, he carried her out into the night toward her mansion.
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Zhiyong carried Ingrid through the streets of Yomihara heading to her personal mansion. The sight of an unconscious beautiful woman inevitably attracted the worst kind of attention. He stopped as a group of men and demons surrounded them.
“Hey, mister. Let us have some fun with her for a few minutes,” suggested the largest demon, presumably the boss.
It didn’t surprise him in the least. This was Yomihara. For all its beautiful appearance, it was a lawless city ruled by arch-demons, each faction solely concerned with its own territory, doing even that with bare minimum effort. “Step aside,” Zhiyong said, his voice devoid of emotion, “or I will crush you.”
They all laughed. “And what are you going to do about it?”
Then, the lead demon’s neck twisted 180 degrees with a sickening crack, its head wrenching backward. It took a moment for its body to register the trauma before it went limp and collapsed. At the sight, the remaining demons scrambled back in fear, not knowing what he did.
Zhiyong continued his walk until they arrived at the small mansion. He rang the doorbell and waited. A young girl with long brown hair, brown eyes, and two horns atop her head answered. “Hello there, Lina. Sorry for disturbing you so late.”
“Uncle Zhiyong,” Lina said, her tone indicating this was a familiar routine. “You’re bringing Lady Ingrid back from the bar again, right?”
“Of course,” Zhiyong replied with a sarcastic tone, gesturing to the unconscious woman on his back. “How else would she be sleeping on my back? Here you go.” He carefully transferred Ingrid into Lina’s waiting arms.
“It must be hard on you, always having to carry her back home.”
“Not at all. If anything, I’m glad to do it.” After all, Ingrid trusted him enough to be carried home in such a vulnerable state.
With the task done, he went back to the Palace of Darkness to get his motorbike. On the way, he encountered Kaliya, one of NOMAD’s high-ranking members who emerging from a club. Zhiyong found her peculiar but understood her personality well enough, she was a sadist who enjoyed breaking those with strong wills. His strategy was to act confidently weak around her, a performance that, paradoxically, had only deepened her interest in him. She likely sensed his dislike and acted on it deliberately.
A predatory smile spread across Kaliya’s face as she spotted him. “Zhiyong. What a pleasant surprise.” She closed the distance in an instant, her hands already tracing an invasive path up his thighs toward his backside.
‘Seriously, why the fixation on my ass?’ While he was faintly amused that someone found it attractive, he deeply disliked being touched without consent. “Can you stop touching me please?”
“My apologies,” Kaliya said, not sounding sorry at all. “They just seem to wander on their own.”
‘Just wait until I’m done with NOMAD.’ The thought was a cold promise. Out loud, he only said, “Then try harder to keep them under control.”
Kaliya grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him closer. “You really are stubborn. Be glad Edward shields you. Not that I dislike your defiance, there’s something about it that excites me. It’s as if you’re hiding your real strength.”
Then she let go of him. “Well, I’d better get going. I need to rest after such a… fun night. See you later, Zhiyong.” With that, she walked away.
Only when she was gone did Zhiyong allow himself a sigh of relief. The encounter was over, and his only desire was to put Yomihara behind him. Moving quickly, he retrieved his motorcycle and accelerated toward the city's exit.
Once he managed to leave, he put on a Bluetooth headset and started his music: Wanna Be Crazy. As he pressed play, guitars ripped through the night air, the driving beat syncing with his speed as he raced through Tokyo.
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He drove through the streets of Tokyo for hours, continuing until he was outside the city and entering into the Kanagawa Prefecture. His destination was the city of Sagamihara. Why drive so far? To visit a particular person.
Zhiyong arrived at a residential area in Chuo Ward. He pulled up to a house, rang the doorbell, and waited. The door opened to reveal a beautiful blonde woman with striking heterochrome, with one green eye and one amber. It was Shinganji Kaede, and she had been waiting for him.
“Hello, Kaede. Staying up late just for me, I see.” Zhiyong offered a small smile, a gesture that made her swoon, though that hadn't been his intention.
Kaede rushed forward and hugged him tightly. “I’ve missed you so much. How is work?”
“Just the usual, doing research and getting harassed by my superior. Same old, same old.”
“Mou, you should just quit that job. I’m sure someone with your skill set could find work here,” Kaede said, her voice full of loving concern.
"You know I can't. There's something I still have to do there. Besides, leaving isn't simple. Once Edward takes an interest in someone, he doesn't let go until he gets what he wants."
Kaede’s mood shifted instantly. She buried her face in Zhiyong’s chest. “Don’t… don’t say his name, please.”
Shinganji Kaede, the woman presumed dead by everyone. Even by her own daughter, Felicia, who had "killed" her. So how did she escape, and how did she make everyone in the NOMAD believe she had died? The answer lay in Zhiyong's scheme.
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Fourteen years ago, when he was still new to NOMAD, Zhiyong had been recruited as a scientist in the weapons research division. He brought two apprentices with him, one worked as his assistant, and the other served as a simple soldier. Though that begged the question, why had a man like him been brought in? The answer was simple. He had been making high-quality weapons and selling them on the black market. His creations gained popularity through sheer quality and effectiveness. He hadn't enjoyed it or even liked it, but it was the only way to get scouted by NOMAD, and it worked.
Zhiyong then went to the Demon Realm, where a NOMAD facility was located, to begin his study of demon technology and its magic. It was different there. Unlike his world, where anyone practicing the dark arts without proper preparation would quickly lose themselves to insanity, this realm's magic bore fewer consequences for the user. The true cost fell upon the victims instead. He was under the guidance of Fürst, a man he quickly came to despise. In truth, he hated everyone here. The atmosphere was suffocating, it felt like he could be stabbed in the back at any moment.
The scientist would occasionally wander and explore the place, hoping to further his understanding of this strange place. Then he found a room that piqued his curiosity, especially because of a little girl with pink hair who kept pacing back and forth in front of it.
Zhiyong approached her slowly and said softly, "What are you doing here, child?"
"Hmm." The girl gave him wide, doe-like eyes. "Oh, nothing, mister. Just nervous, that's all."
‘What's an adorable kid doing in a place like this’ "Well, what are you nervous about?"
"It's just… I haven't seen my mama for a while."
"Mama?" ‘Does she work here?’ "Where is she? I'll help you get to her."
"Just in that room." She pointed to a simple room with a metal door.
"Let's go, then. I'll help you." Zhiyong offered his hand, and she took it.
Then he noticed a problem, the door required a hand scan to open. Would it accept his hand? He had negotiated with Edward to give him some freedom in this place, but that didn't mean he was allowed everywhere.
Still, he decided to try. He placed his hand on the scanner, and the door clicked open. ‘It works. Must not be an important place.’
The room was stark and grey, bare concrete walls, a single table, a lonely chair and a bed. On the bed stood a blonde woman with mismatched eyes, cradling a child. Her gaze, however, held no warmth, no recognition, no life. They were the eyes of someone who given up on life.
"Hello, Mama." The nervous girl's tone had shifted, now low and threatening. "Who is that?"
"Fumika?" The woman's voice was tired, lifeless.
"I'm Felicia." Now the girl growled.
"Felicia… who?" The woman's confusion was hollow, mechanical. She looked down at the child in her arms. "This is Fumika. My baby."
"So you replaced me. Father and you, both of you tried to replace me." The girl's voice dropped to a snarl. She bent her knees and lunged.
But Zhiyong caught her, his arms locking around her small frame to restrain her. Enraged, Felicia began biting and clawing at him, trying to rip his arms apart. Against an ordinary man, or even an ordinary demon, it might have worked. But Zhiyong was far from ordinary.
"Fumika!" The once-dead-eyed woman came to life as she saw her child in danger. "Don't hurt her, please!"
Zhiyong flexed his muscles, his arm tightening around Felicia's neck in an attempt to make her lose consciousness. Felicia kept clawing, but slowly her strength faded. Soon, she went limp in his bloody arms. He then knelt and gently cradled the child. Something was wrong. An idea began to form in his mind, a disgusting one he hoped wasn't true.
The woman moved closer, checking Felicia for injuries. "I only choked her," Zhiyong said quietly. "She should have some bruises, nothing more."
"Oh… okay." Kaede gently touched Felicia's face. It had been a year since she last saw her daughter. Her gaze shifted to the stranger who had intervened. "Who are you?"
“Miyatake Zhiyong, I’m a new scientist here. And you are?”
"Shinganji Kaede." That was all she said.
Zhiyong didn't pry further. He stood up and began carrying Felicia. "I need to get going. I have to take her to the medical facility." And with that, he left.
The next day, Felicia showed up at his workshop, demanding to be let into Kaede's room. He rejected her demand, and she started throwing a temper tantrum by punching him which tickled, then scratching and biting him which had little effect but was incredibly annoying. It continued until he bribed her with a piece of candy. That only made her want more, so he just gave her the whole packet. Those sweets were meant to last him a month. Now he would have to wait until he returned to Earth to eat those sweets again.
The day after, he had none to give. Instead of throwing another temper tantrum, she clamped onto his forearm and started drinking his blood. He allowed it if it kept her calm, and she made a point of noting that his blood tasted far better than any human or demon.
This time, he learned something important. Felicia was a half-vampire, and she was Edward Black's daughter. That explained why Fürst and Ingrid had been having so much trouble dealing with her. It also clarified why many staff members would look at him strangely, and why they kept questioning how he was still alive.
Still, he wanted to know more. So he went to Kaede's room discreetly at night. Zhiyong was allowed to visit her by Edward after gaining his permission which surprises him. He visited her every night after that, keeping her company. He would occasionally bring books to entertain her and various foods to replace the bland meals she was given.
It was during these visits that he learned the horrifying truth, she was being kept here as a breeder. For Edward to produce his offspring. Why had he chosen her? Zhiyong didn't know. But something burned inside him now, a resolve. He would help her escape from this place.
A plan began to formulate in his mind. First, he needed to ensure that Kaede truly escaped, meaning she wouldn't be hunted down afterward. NOMAD was a powerful organization with vast resources. If she simply fled, a manhunt would be inevitable, and his infiltration mission would fail the moment he was discovered as the perpetrator.
He needed a way to make NOMAD give up on her entirely. Then, a lightbulb moment: he would fake her death. But how? With their advanced technology, they could perform an autopsy and quickly discover she was still alive.
He scanned the lab for inspiration, his eyes stopping at a machine. It was an artificial womb, designed to create artificial monsters. If he could modify it… perhaps he could clone her, and her baby. Then kill the clones. Make NOMAD believe they had found the real bodies.
First, he needed knowledge. He hacked Fürst's computer, quietly stealing every blueprint and document related to the technology. Next, he scavenged for spare parts, stealing them from various workshops or dumpster diving at disposal sites. He couldn't use the machine in the lab or using many parts and material there, lest his plan be discovered. So he would build his own from scraps in a discreet location.
Now came the most difficult part, actually creating the machine. It took two months of trial and error, but he managed to succeed. There was one problem, however. It could only be used once. That meant he would have to build another one for the baby. Luckily, he now knew how to build it, so it only took him a week.
It just needed electrical power to function, which wouldn't be a problem. He would simply steal it from the NOMAD facility. And finally, he needed the DNA material to begin cloning them. He obtained that from a single strand of each of their hair.
He estimated the clones would be finished in a month. He and his assistant would constantly monitor them and continue feeding nutrients until they were complete. The clones were nothing more than meatbags. They lacked knowledge, intelligence, personality. The only thing they knew was how to breathe, and that was precisely why he didn't care if they died.
While waiting, he needed to plan how to swap them with the real Kaede and her baby. That part was simple enough, there was barely any security, aside from the cameras.
But then came the question, how should the clones die? Should he simply poison them? Drug up some orcs and let them loose to kill the clones? No, that would inevitably trace back to him. He wanted no trace. So how should he do it?
"Hey, Zhiyong! I want your blood now!" Felicia demanded, disrupting his concentration.
Zhiyong couldn't take this little girl seriously. How could anyone see her as dangerous? Then his mind stopped. Felicia. She was the answer.
Should he let her commit the act of murdering her own mother and little sister? The idea was sickening. It churned his stomach. Still, Kaede was the priority. Whatever happened to Felicia, he would deal with it later.
After four months, Zhiyong finally had everything he needed. Now it was time for action. First, he needed to smuggle the clones in. NOMAD occasionally sent hunting parties into the Demon Realm to capture various creatures for research material. Once he located the trucks used in one of these hunts, he placed the box containing the clones inside without anyone knowing.
Next, one of his apprentices would disguise himself as a staff member, complete with a face mask. He would bring the clones to Kaede's room, while another apprentice assisted Zhiyong by accessing the security room to tamper with the cameras. This second apprentice would infiltrate as one of the guards and put them to sleep by drugging their drinks.
With that done, the first apprentice would use a moulded copy of Zhiyong’s fingerprints to access the door. He would simply replace Kaede and her child with the clones and quietly smuggle the real ones out of the facility.
It was done. Now all that was left was to fake their deaths.
Zhiyong had been nurturing Felicia, teaching her skills powerful enough to bust through that door. He also gave her drugs by hiding them in candy, making her more aggressive and boosting her power. With that, the clones died while the real ones were smuggled out of the facility. Tomorrow, he would lead Kaede to the Human World.
After the incident, Felicia was locked away. Zhiyong decided to pay her a visit.
"Felicia." His voice was quiet. "How are you holding up?"
She didn't respond. Just sat there, silent and still.
"I heard what happened." The words felt like poison on his tongue. "About your mother." He kept his voice soft, comforting. But inside, the guilt was consuming him. She had done this because of him. Because of his plan.
"I killed them." Felicia's voice was small, lost. "I thought… I thought if I did, I wouldn't have to be scared anymore. That Father would finally focus his time towards me." A pause. "But it hurts. Why does it hurt?"
Zhiyong closed his eyes. "Because, Felicia… no matter how much you hated her, you still loved her." He opened his eyes. "You know, I had a twin brother. My father would always pay attention to him. It got to the point where I held a grudge. It's normal for a child to feel some resentment toward their parents. But when I heard my father was injured in a fight… my heart ached. And I realized: no matter how much I hated him, I still loved him. Because he's my father."
He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her small frame. "There's nothing you can do now, Felicia. The only thing you can do is cry. So cry as much as you need to."
And so she did. She buried herself against Zhiyong's chest and cried until she had nothing left. At that moment, Zhiyong made a silent promise to himself. He would find a way to make up for the pain he had caused her.
Once Edward arrived, Zhiyong managed to convince him to make Zhiyong himself Felicia's official caretaker. But what troubled Zhiyong was how little Edward seemed to care. He showed no grief over Kaede's and his child's deaths. He let Felicia go unpunished. He didn't even question her about why she did what she did. It made Zhiyong feel as though his complicated plan had been for nothing.
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Present day. Zhiyong emerged from the shower, clean and ready for bed. As he made his way to the bedroom, he spotted a familiar figure. A pink-haired girl in pajamas, clutching a teddy bear.
"Fumika." He sighed. "It's late. What are you doing awake?"
She didn't speak. She simply raised her arms, waiting.
Zhiyong looked at her, a fourteen years old, still wanting to be carried like a child. He sighed again, but there was no real frustration in it. "You're too old for this, you know."
She didn't argue. She simply stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I want to sleep with you and Mom."
He sighed and complied with her demand, lifting her and carrying her to Kaede's bedroom. Once they entered, he noticed Kaede in her nightgown.
"You spoil her too much, Kaede."
She simply chuckled. "And what's wrong with that?"
"Do I really have to explain?" Fumika wanted to be carried at this age, for goodness' sake.
The conversation faded, and they settled into bed. Fumika claimed the middle, curling up between them. Kaede's breathing soon softened into sleep. But Zhiyong lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
As he lay there, Zhiyong couldn't help but think: was this what his life might have been like if his wife hadn't died? If their days weren't fraught with the danger of enemies? He didn't deserve this happiness. After abandoning his son to fend for himself, he didn't deserve any of it.
Still, Zhiyong would do his best to support his son. He hoped the gift Ryuji would receive tomorrow would help him in his life as a Taimanin.
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In Senzaki, a pale man with spiky black hair and crimson eyes trudged through the city streets. His professional suit was immaculate, but each of his steps was heavy with exhaustion. Another day of managing this lawless district, negotiating with gang leaders, then beating them when negotiations failed. It never ended.
He reached a luxury high-rise, swiped his card, and rode the elevator to the 30th floor. The apartment door closed behind him, sealing out the chaos for another night. Inside were luxurious with expensive furniture and a big glass window overseeing the city. On the couch, a girl munched chips while watching TV.
The girl noticed him. "Hey, Victor! What took you so long? I've been waiting for hours for you to come back."
He sighed. "Give me a break. I just got back from work, Felicia.”
She raised an eyebrow. "That's how you greet your lovely girlfriend?"
This is Victor. Felicia's boyfriend.
"I'm not her boyfriend!"
Correction. This is just Victor.
"Do it properly, narrator!"
Felicia stared at him, concern flickering in her eyes. "Who are you talking to?" She shook her head. "Never mind, I'll stop with the jokes. Just come sit on the sofa."
Victor sighed and dropped onto the sofa beside her. He leaned back, ready to finally relax, but then noticed Felicia had shifted. She was on all fours now, moving closer, her tongue tracing her lips as her eyes locked onto him with predatory focus.
Another sigh. He rolled up his sleeve and offered his arm without a word.
She ignored it completely and pounced, pinning him against the cushions.
"Today's the day, Victor." Her voice was low, deliberate. "We're finally doing it."
He blinked. "Doing wh—" Then realization hit. "No. Absolutely not. You're not twenty yet."
"But you said we’ll do it at eighteen!"
"First, your seventeen now. Second, you clearly need more time to mature."
Felicia smirked, undeterred. "But those old guys do it with young girls like me all the time."
Victor's voice flattened into deadpan. "Then you shouldn't hang out with them."
Felicia's smirk twisted into something sharper. "Then I wonder… have you already done it with Kurenai?"
He stiffened. The threat was clear. "Kurenai and I are just friends."
A low, dangerous growl rumbled from her throat. "It starts as friends… then slowly… YOU FALL FOR EACH OTHER! You think I haven't noticed? The way you treat her compare to me?"
Victor sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Can we please do this tomorrow? I just want to relax and watch TV."
She didn't respond. Instead, her fangs sank into his neck.
"Ow! Why there?! Now I can't even watch TV properly."
Felicia bit down harder. Victor's annoyance sharpened into something between frustration and resignation.
This was Victor. Officially, he was Felicia's right-hand man and bodyguard. Unofficially? He ran everything. Felicia's free spirit and laziness meant she dumped it all on him. The paperwork, the negotiations, the endless logistics of ruling a criminal empire. Every decision, every detail, passed through his hands.
“You know Felicia if you properly take this ruling the city seriously maybe I could have more time spending time with you.”
She responds by biting down harder.
Victor sighed. Felicia's demands were ridiculous, but he'd learned to work around them. Thank God for Kenzaki Jubei, a gangster who controlled part of the city and had become a true friend. Jubei stayed neutral in Senzaki's underground politics, but his love for this city ran deep. He'd do anything to protect it. Victor had convinced him to share the burden of leadership, and together, they'd made real changes.
Senzaki was still a crime city, that would never change. But now, prostitutes had worker unions. They got paid fairly, had protection, weren't treated like disposable toys. Drug lords had been persuaded to turn their product into actual medicine, sold cheap to pharmacies. Small victories here and there.
A thought surfaced through the mental noise. Uncle Zhiyong had mentioned Ryuji was heading to Edogawa City soon, to meet with the Militia's Tokyo branch. Victor filed it away in his mental space, he would call Oiwa tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, his cousin would have time to visit.